Transit officer who almost died after shootout with Boston Marathon bombers returns to work

BOSTON – The transit police officer almost killed during a shootout with the Boston Marathon bombers has returned to work — with a promotion.

Richard Donohue Jr. returned to work Friday after more than two years of recovery. He was one of four Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority officers promoted to sergeant.

Donohue was injured in an early morning shootout in Watertown on April 19, 2013, with bombers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (joh-HAHR' tsahr-NEYE'-ehv). Tamerlan was killed. A jury is weighing whether Dzhokhar should get the death penalty or life in prison.

The bullet that struck Donohue severed a major artery, and he lost most of his blood. He also suffered nerve damage.

MBTA Lt. Richard Sullivan says Donohue was ranked first on the promotion list after taking the exam.